Trailblazin Ministries

AzriELicia - Help Wanted

Written by George Sly
Monday, 21 April 2008

Album Overview

So, I'm driving to work on the first sunny day in spring. I slide a CD in as I drive to the "8 to 5," then low and behold my ears got exactly what my mind had been thinking about for quite a while now. We need more Godly men, women, and kids... "we need more help people," is what I heard. I just about crashed because I was worshiping so hard! There are so many of us (Christians) that miss the mark when it comes to doing God's work. Either we refuse to or have not made it our personal mission to fulfill the Great Commission of making disciples happen. AzriELicia make it plain on their newest project, Help Wanted, that we need more Christians willing to contribute and work for the kingdom. With the help of fellow Kingdom City Records artist Dre Sr. and other artists that include Top Spin, Seyko, T-Mission, and John Pallozzi, this album is pivotal for the hip-hop community in 2008.

Many preachers have taught about what our jobs as believers are, but none have come close to putting it in terms of hip-hop culture the way this husband and wife duo have. I guess when your name places God at the center (mathematically, 'EL' the Hebrew term for God forms the center) blessings rain down. In this case, the blessing is a message we all need to hear. Your job, as a follower of Jesus Christ, is to preach the Gospel. Not only did Azriel and Elicia bring solid doctrine that touched on a message which got me all hyped up, but they did it with music that is undeniably crunk! Both of them have been spittin' since the 90's; now that their crafts are heightened at such a high level, God is using them to spread the Gospel. Their ministry not only is doing work in the center of Kansas City, MO but the whole nation. So trust me when I tell you, buy this album and then pray that it will help you grow your own or whatever ministry you are helping with. Help Wanted by AzriELicia will invoke people to seek out how God wants to use them in order to work for the kingdom. It will also encourage people who are already plugged in to work even harder!

Spiritual Significance

Like I said earlier, Help Wanted will be important to many youth workers and church leaders in 2008. Many of us struggle to try to find ways to communicate how the Bible explains our role in helping to build the kingdom. We cannot save souls, but can preach the Gospel. Spreading God's Word is our role while we live on earth. AzriELicia make it a point to attack this issue, but also include some topics like "knowing who you are in Christ," "being willing to go where God wants you," and "relationships with the opposite sex." Many of the songs on this album ask the listener to apply biblical principals to the situation or try and understand the message through parable. Especially with songs like "Decent Proposal," the audience is expected to hear the song from beginning to end. The true holy hip-hop listener will not miss the point each track is sending. I feel like this project addresses issues facing our nation's inner-city community, as well as the suburbs. Our country's urban areas are feeling the strain of church congregations not willing to do God's work. It's not a white problem or a black problem; instead, it's a problem that faces the American church (as the album suggests). Think about your own church; is everyone who claims Christ as their Lord working toward the kingdom? I know I don't see it in my church or in my city. Some are really walking out in faith and some for whatever reason are not. When I walk outside I see no change in our neighborhoods. I see no one out there breaking it down for the gang banger, drug dealer, or the prostitute. I see people afraid to even talk to the sick and homeless for fear of getting their Sunday clothes dirty. I hope to use the message of doing your job (as it relates to God's commission) as my battle cry this year. Praise be to God for Azriel and Elicia. Thank you two for being disciplined in the Word and walking out in faith with your ministry. I pray you stay on course. If you keep up the righteous work in your community and with albums like Help Wanted we will see a spiritual welfare reform!

Topics Covered

• Help Wanted - The need of more Godly people
• Who You? featuring Dre Sr. - Our relationship with God (being sinners)
• Sent BaCK - Going where God sends you to do his work
• The eXodus - Leave the worldly mind-set for a mind like Christ (follow him)
• Switch It Up featuring Top Spin - Being all things to all people in order to reach the lost
• Street Sweeper - Spreading the word of Life (Jesus) to the streets
• I AM the God featuring Seyko- Loving God above all no matter your circumstance
• Love Triangle featuring Dre Sr., T-Mission - Choosing a Godly man over a worldly man
• Decent Proposal - Parable of How God views our sinful ways
• I Still - Renewing marriage vows
• Christology - Studying the life of Jesus
• Uamazeme featuring John Pallozzi - How amazing God is...
• Status Quo - Walking in the light and not the darkness
• Bonus Track - Welfare Reform

Key Tracks

The "Bonus Track" is a must listen. I would also include "Christology (Gimme Jesus)," "Who You?," "I Still," "Switch It Up," "Street Sweeper," and "I AM the God" as key tracks; but make no mistake, this whole album is key to your ministry.